Information on this black colored variation of the common Crystal Red Shrimp.

Wine Red Shrimp

Information on this Red colored variation of Taiwan Bee Shrimp

Shadow Panda Shrimp

Information on the Shadow Panda variation of Taiwan Bee Shrimp

Panda Shrimp

Information on the Panda variation of Taiwan Bee Shrimp

Black King Kong Shrimp

Information on this black colored variation of Taiwan Bee Shrimp

Blue Jelly Shrimp

This is a bright blue Neocaridina shrimp bred from blue rili shrimp.

African Filter Shrimp

Information on this large filter feeding shrimp from Africa.

Amano Shrimp

Information on this very popular shrimp. Its name comes from Takashi Amano, the creator of ADA, who used these shrimp for algae eating purposes. It cannot breed in pure freshwater.

Bamboo Shrimp

Information on this wild caught species which is a filter feeder. It is very common to find in most pet stores and online. It is not possible to breed this species in pure freshwater.

Black Tiger Shrimp

Information on this elusive all black color variation of the common Tiger Shrimp. Its all black coloration is from selective breeding to widen the black stripes of the common Tiger Shrimp.

Blue Bee Shrimp

Information on this newly introduced species to the hobby. Not much is known and they are caught in the wild. Captive breeding is possible.

Blue Pearl Shrimp

Information on this beautiful blue colored species of the wild N. zhangjiajiensis shrimp.

Blue Tiger Shrimp

Information on this blue coloration variation on the common Tiger Shrimp. It is expensive and sometimes hard to find.

Tangerine Tiger

Information on the Tangerine Tiger Shrimp.

Super Tiger Shrimp

Information on this variation on the common Tiger Shrimp. Easy to keep and a beautiful shrimp

Cardinal Shrimp

Information on the very popular shrimp from Sulawesi Indonesia. Its colors are awesome.

Crystal Red Shrimp

Information on this extremely popular, difficult, expensive, and complex shrimp species. Selectively bred for coloration and other features.

Dark Green Shrimp

Information on this beautiful dark green colored shrimp. Its eggs are a nice lime green which really make this shrimp stand out. Its true scientic name and genus are in question.

Ghost-Glass-Grass Shrimp

Information on this wild caught and extremely cheap freshwater shrimp. It carries many different names and can be found in most pet stores. It is considered a feeder shrimp for freshwater aquarium fish.

Golden Bee Shrimp

Information on this all white relative of the Crystal Red Shrimp, Bee Shrimp, Orange Bee Shrimp and others. It is nicely colored but little is known as to its origin.

Harlequin Shrimp

Information on this specific species of shrimp found in Sulawesi Indonesia.

Malaya Shrimp

Information on this newly introduced and soon to be common species of shrimp.

Neocaridina Heteropoda Shrimp

Information on this wild caught grandfather of the selectively bred species Red Cherry Shrimp and Yellow Shrimp. There may be other selectively bred color variations unknown to the hobby at the moment.

Orange Bee Shrimp

Information on this wild species and the grandfather of the Crystal Red Shrimp, Bee Shrimp and others. Can be rare and hard to find.

Orange Sakura Shrimp

This is a color morph of the common Neocaridina species Red Cherry Shrimp

Rili Shrimp

This is a color morph of the common Neocaridina species Red Cherry Shrimp

Purple Zebra Shrimp

Information on this wild caught species. Unfortunately it cannot breed in pure freshwater and has slowly disappeared from the hobby as a result.

Red Cherry Shrimp

Information on the most common and most popular shrimp in the hobby. This is the ultimate beginners shrimp and most hobbyists begin with this species before venturing into more difficult/expensive shrimp.

Fire Red Shrimp

This is a variant of the Red Cherry Shrimp, it is bred for a deep red color and has several grades.

Red Tiger Shrimp

Information on this red color variation of the common Tiger Shrimp. This color variation is apparently found in the wild and not selectively bred.

Red Tupfel Shrimp

Information on this very rare and almost impossible to find shrimp in the hobby. Hopefully it will someday become more available.

Snowball Shrimp

Information on this beautiful all white selectively bred shrimp. Its name comes from its eggs which are all white resembling snowballs.

Sulawesi Shrimp

A gallery of photos of many different kinds of Sulawesi Shrimp from Indonesia. Newly introduced to the hobby in late 2007.

Tiger Shrimp

Information on this somewhat common shrimp. It is the less rare variation than its cousins: Blue Tiger, Red Tiger, Golden Eye and others.

White Bee Shrimp

Information on this elusive and very rare species of Bee Shrimp. It is definitely a cool looking shrimp.

Yellow Shrimp

Information on this selectively bred shrimp from the wild N. Heteropoda species. It breeds very well.

"Cambarellus montezumae" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this crayfish species.

"Cambarellus patzcuarensis" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this crayfish species.

"Procambarus acanthophorus" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this crayfish species.

"Procambarus allenii" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this commonly blue colored crayfish species.

"Procambarus clarkii" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this popular crayfish species which comes in several different colors.

"Procambarus cubensis" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this crayfish species.

"Procambarus enoplosternum" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this crayfish species.

"Procambarus sp. marble" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this crayfish species.

"Procambarus pubescens" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this crayfish species.

"Procambarus spiculifer" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this crayfish species.

"Procambarus toltecae" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this crayfish species.

"Procambarus vasquezae" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this crayfish species.

"Procambarus versutus" Crayfish

Information on care and breeding of this very cool colored species of crayfish.

Apple Snail

Information of the most common snail found in pet stores, the Apple Snail. Are they good or bad for a shrimp tank?

Malaysian Trumpet Snail

Information on the common Malaysian Trumpet Snail. They are great for all aquariums given several reasons.

Zebra Nerite Snail

Information on the beautiful Zebra Nerite Snail.

Pond Snail

Information on the common pond snail. They are not bad snails and are in fact good for any kind of tank especially shrimp-only tanks.

Ramshorn Snail

Information on the Ramshorn Snail including the different color variations and population control.

Sulawesi Snails

Photos of the various species of Sulawesi Snails. There are more species than are pictured as well.

Aegla sp. argentina

Species Info on care and breeding of this non-crab, non-shrimp creature.

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Acclimating New Shrimp:

Information on how to properly acclimate your newly arrived shrimp to your tank.

Are Hydra Harmful to Shrimp?

Information on the unwelcomed Hydra in the freshwater aquarium including ways to prevent and remove them.

N. zhangjiajiensis: It's colors

Information on this wild species and the many selectively bred color morphs that have evolved from it.

Packing a Winter Shipment

Information on how to successfully pack shrimp for a wintertime shipment. Keeping the shrimp warm is very important.

Red Cherry Shrimp Hatching

A rare photographic glimpse of a baby Red Cherry Shrimp hatching from an egg.

Information on the N. Palmata

The orange coloration is actually the shrimp being infected with Acanthocepala.

Artificially Hatching Eggs

Information on how to successfully hatch isolated eggs. Great method if you have a pregnant female die who has eggs.

Breeding Softwater Shrimp

Information on how to successfully breed shrimp that require soft water. Tips and advice from user Kenshin.

Babaulti Shrimp: Mislabeled

Information on how the Babaulti Shrimp variety is commonly mislabeled as different types of shrimp which vary in color. Good to know.

The Crystal Red Shrimp Grading Guide

Information on grading the Crystal Red Shrimp. Includes information on how to identify specific features and what makes the grade.

Do-It-Yourself Shrimp Trap

A how-to for making a homemade shrimp trap. Instead of chasing your shrimp with a net, let them do the work themselves.

Is it safe to dose fertilizers in a shrimp tank?

An article about dosing fertilizers in a tank with shrimp. What is too much? What will kill them? Is it ok?

Are the shrimp naturally colored or dyed?

An experiment conducted to see if imported shrimp are naturally colored or dyed by the supplier. Great article.

Safe Tankmates for Shrimp

Information regarding what tankmates are safe for shrimp and what will definitely eat your shrimp. Very important.

Setting up a Shrimp Tank

Information about setting up a new shrimp tank including details on exactly what should and shouldn't be used. Great info for beginners.

Shipping Inverts

General information about shipping inverts. Proper packaging, insulation, heatpacks, etc. Great info for all hobbyists.

Shrimp and Leaf Litter

Information about using leaf litter in a shrimp tank. Do shrimp do better with leaf litter? What leaves to use?

Shrimp Myths vs Truth

What is true and what is false about shrimp keeping and everything related to the hobby. There are a lot of false statements out there so it is important to quell them.

Shrimp Rack Journals

Two journals on setting up a shrimp rack for keeping multiple tanks using smaller space. Great tutorials with both journals by both Ryan and Pedro.

Sulawesi Expedition

A Journal on the expedition conducted by Mimbon Aquarium from Germany. Photos and information about Sulawesi Indonesia as well as underwater photos of the habitat.

Water Change in the Winter

Great information by Kenshin about changing the water during wintertime. You do not want very cold water to shock the shrimp. This is a great article for those in cold weather climates.

What is that bug in my tank?

Information on the many creatures found inside a tank including planaria, hydra, and many others. Superb article by Satu in Finland.

Will these shrimp interbreed?

Information about what shrimp are ok to house together in the same tank, and which ones will interbreed creating a hybrid. Great chart for easy comparision.

Why ship young shrimp?

Information about why it is better to ship young shrimp and why it is better to buy young shrimp vs adults. Size is important when introducing shrimp to a new tank.

Awesome Close Up Photos!

Great photos submitted by our members. Definitely worth a look.

Invert Tank Gallery

Great Invert Tank Photos from our members. Great looking tanks.

Photos by Peter Maquire

Awesome macro photos by Peter Maquire. These are some of the best out there!

For the Newcomer: Starting

Information for the newcomer to the hobby. How to start, what to use, what not to do.

Why Shrimp? An Editorial

What is it about shrimp thats makes the hobbyist love them so much? Great editorial.

So you want to raise Shrimp?

Great editorial on gaining knowledge before you even start keeping shrimp.

Low Tech Macro Photography

Quick tutorial on taking macro shots with a simple everyday camera and not professional equipment.

If it isn't broke: Don't fix it

An Editorial on why sometimes its best to let things stay the way they are.

Aquatic Inverts: An Overview

A great Article on the common invertebrates found in the Freshwater Aquarium Hobby.

Red Cherry Shrimp Molting

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Red Goldflake Shrimp

Another one of the cool looking shrimp from Sulawesi.

Brown Camo Shrimp

Another one of the Sulawesi Shrimp with a unique "camouflaged" coloration.

Orange Delight Shrimp

Another one of the Sulawesi Shrimp with a unique orange coloration.

Horned Nerite Snail

A beautifully colored nerite snail with unique appendages.

Tracked Nerite Snail

A red-orange colored snail with "tracks" running along its body

Zebra Nerite Snail

Information on the beautifully striped Zebra Nerite Snail.

Ninja Shrimp

Information on this rapid multi-color changing "Ninja". Many colors including black, red, brown, and more.

Shrimp Reproduction

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Killing Planaria and Hydra

Use Fenbendazole to kill Planaria and Hydra without harming your Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp.

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Artifically Hatching Shrimp Eggs

By Ryan Wood

Overview

One day I found a dead Blue Pearl Shrimp female with eggs still present. It was a disappointing sight but I decided to take action. After a few careful steps I managed to artificially hatch baby Blue Pearl Shrimp from the dead female Blue Pearl Shrimp. This is the second time that I attempted to artificially hatch eggs from a dead pregnant female. This was the first time I was successful.

First Attempt with Tiger Shrimp

The first attempt to artificially hatch were with Tiger Shrimp eggs. This first attempt was several months before the successful attempt with the Blue Pearl Shrimp eggs. I placed the Tiger Shrimp Eggs inside of a mesh bag and hung the bag inside of the Tiger Shrimp tank. I read that if you place the mesh bag in the path of flowing water it will help. Unfortunately the snails managed to get onto the bag, not inside of the bag, and literally sucked the eggs out of the bag like you would eat oysters. It was a failed attempt but a good learning experience. I do not recommend the mesh bag procedure for these same reasons.

Dead Blue Pearl Shrimp

One day while observing the tanks I discovered a dead pregnant Blue Pearl Shrimp. She had approximately 20 eggs in her undercarriage. I do not know how long she had been pregnant for nor how long she had been dead for. I suspect that she had been dead for less than 24 hours due to the fact that I routinely check my tanks and had not seen a dead female the day prior. I decided to give the "artificial hatching" another attempt. However, this time I opted to try another method using a separate container.

Separate Container

Due to the fact that the mesh bag was a failure I decided to try a different method. The main problem I felt with using a mesh bag was the threat of snails or other things that may eat the eggs. The mesh bag was not a good defense whatsoever. Instead of placing the eggs inside of the same tank I decided to use a separate container outside of the original tank. There were however a few reasons why I felt that using a separate outside container may not be successful. I was skeptical about using a separate container due to lack of water flow, temperature drop, stale water, etc. I decided to give it a shot anyways because I had nothing to lose.

Container Preparation and Use

I got a plastic container (one in the photo below ), which I frequently use for aquarium water use only (netting for packaging, etc.), so I know it is free of any chemicals/detergents that may containg contaminants. The shrimp eggs are extremely vulnerable so I did not want to risk having any contanimants or other outside influences damage the eggs. It is vitally important to make sure that there are no outside contaminants. Also I use a clear container so that I can observe the inside at all possible angles. I filled the contained to the water level you see in the same photo.

Simple Food Container

Separate Eggs from Female

After preparing the container and filling the water to the desired level it was time to perform the egg extraction from the female. There are several reasons why I decided to remove the eggs from the carcass. I did not want the rotting carcass of the female to produce too much ammonia nor did I want any potential disease to occur. The eggs needed to be completely isolated and in clean water. The female carcass must be separated from the eggs.

Egg Extraction

Preparation: It was now time for what would turn out to be the most difficult part of the entire artificial hatching process. It is definitely not as easy as you may think. I decided that during the egg extraction, I would perform the extraction abover the water filled container in case any eggs accidentally dropped. This way any dropped eggs would fall directly into the water and not come in contact with any other surface. Also, if I managed to get any eggs on the tweezers that I used during extraction, I would just dip the tweezers into the water and let the eggs slide off. It is extremely important not to touch the eggs with bare hands. The acid on your fingers certainly have the potential to permanently damage the eggs. Latex gloves may be a safe option but I did not have any at the time.

Gripping the Female: I removed the female from the tank with a net. I gripped her with a pair of tweezers on the head. I paid careful attention not to squish the eggs when gripping the shrimp. She was "mushy" so I had to be very delicate when handling her. You may think that the eggs of a pregnant female shrimp are not firmly attached, and they can fall off any moment. Trust me, this is not the case at all. They are all held together with a slime/mucus/glue-like substance. This "glue" also attaches to the females undercarriage. It is not an easy task to remove the eggs when they are glued together and attached to the shrimp body at the same time. I had to be delicate when removing the eggs, making sure not to rip the female apart in the process. If I ripped the female apart then I would have had nowhere to grip with the tweezers holding the shrimp. Without anywhere to grip the female it would have been nearly impossible to separate the eggs from the female.

Loosening and Removing Eggs: Once I had a firm but delicate hold on the shrimp with the tweezers I then used a plastic spoon to remove the eggs. Removing the eggs was very tedious. You have to gently loosen the eggs from the shrimp body. Patience is the key. Also, I decided not to attempt to individually separate the eggs from each other once. I left them in the mucus they were all attached to. I just wanted to get them off of the female. Using the spoon I slowly peeled the eggs away from the undercarriage and then into the water below. Once again, patience is vitally important during the process. Do not get frustrated.

Remaining Eggs: After carefully removing the eggs I was able to get almost all of them off and into the water filled container. A very few eggs were still tucked inside of the shrimp and it would have been almost impossible to extract them with the tools I had.
I threw the female carcass away and inspected the eggs in the container. I carefully removed any leftover remnants of the female body. All that was left were the eggs stuck together with the mucus.

Isolated Eggs

Plan: Now that I isolated the eggs and they were safely inside of the container I ventured into the unknown. I came up with a simple plan... change 75% of the water every 3 days and refill the container with tank water to the same level as before water change. Also, during the week I would use the dropper (in the picture below) and spray the eggs in the water with tank water. Spraying the eggs was a way of refreshing the water, cleaning the eggs, and creating oxygen at the same time. The dropper is actually an Oral Syringe meant for feeding medicine to babies. You can find it at any local pharmacy.

Dropper

Container Placement: I stored the container right next to the tank to try my best to get the same conditions. I did not test the temperature of the water inside of the container so I do not know what it was. I also placed a lid on top of the container to prevent the air from making the water too cold. I did not snap the lid on, I just place it on top with a small crack left. The reason for not placing the lid on the container was to let some air exchange occur inside of the container.

Daily Routine: I continually checked the container, changed water, sprayed, smelled, and observed the eggs over the past 2 weeks. The water smelled "funny" but the eggs looked o.k. I suppose that the water smelled strange simply because it was stagnant. I compared the coloration and shape of the eggs in the container to the eggs on the live Blue Pearl Shrimp females that were also pregnant inside of the tank. I did not see much difference in coloration or shape so I stuck to the plan.

Success!

Baby Shrimp: Well I went to change the water one day, 2 weeks into the experiment, and there were shrimplets!!! I couldn't believe my eyes! I was shocked. I had heard of others successfully doing this, but I did not think I would get it to work. After looking back at the entire process it seems that keeping the eggs isolated, clean water, and care can help anyone be successful when trying to hatch eggs artifically without a female shrimp. After the original posting of this article there have been other hobbyists who have reported being successful using this same method. It works and I suggest everyone try it out if you find a dead pregnant female shrimp.

Photos: Below are photos of a few of the eggs as well as some of the newly born shrimplets.